The Place Based Investment Programme 2023/24 is now closed.
The Place Based Investment Programme (PBIP) is a Scottish Government capital fund and West Lothian Council's allocation over the 5-year period will be over £4.5m with £789,000 available for 2023/24. The grant is for capital expenditure, and it is expected that expenditure will be met, or at least work or contracts signed or commenced, by 31 March 2024.
West Lothian Council are inviting applications for projects that support local communities, business and third and public sectors, to support shared local plans and aspirations. It was agreed that £600,000 would be allocated for Community Wealth Building projects, and that an applications-based approach would be used.
The application should be for a capital project that addresses one or more of five themes of Community Wealth Building. There are a number of examples of capital projects being delivered in West Lothian and other areas across Scotland to deliver Community Wealth Building through the Place Based Investment Programme.
How to Apply
The fund is now closed and a list of successful applicants will be uploaded soon.
Successful Applications 2022/23
This project seeks to upgrade the car park area and create a new site entrance to the Almond Valley Heritage Centre. The Trust are committed to local procurement, with the project aiming to extend public access to the green-space and paths that the project maintains. The project will sustain the employment of 30 core staff and 30 seasonal staff from the local area. This funding will enable future plans to open a free-access mining museum and community space, separate to the farm and play area.
This project seeks to upgrade flooring, Wi-Fi, and fire doors, and to refresh the café area in the building with is currently in community ownership. The facility is used as a hub for local business, community groups, council services, NHS use, and a public café. The funding would also be used to complete a feasibility study on the use of a former sports pavilion near the building to explore options for its use including community ownership of the space.
This project has three elements based within the organisations Brewster Square, Kirkton House and Blackburn Health First hub in the Mill Centre in Blackburn. The project will develop and upgrade the bakery at Brewster Square including the development of a shop front, upgrade training facilities at Kirkton House to make them accessible to clients with additional support needs and will create a community support hub, including a community café, in the organisations new Health First Hub at the Mill Centre, Blackburn. The social enterprise will reinvest surplus income generated from the sale of food and bakery products into West Lothian on poverty alleviation activities through training, employability, and food provision. The funding will create 8 Real Living Wage jobs, and the project will procure and contribute to the local food supply chain.
This project seeks to fit out the wellbeing hub base owned by the organisation, which will be used for mental health counselling, and will also renewable energy to the building. The local West Lothian charity and social enterprise will support the community through financial and emotional wellbeing services, and also aims to provide a space for other local third sector organisations to utilise. The project will provide a facility for counsellors to operate from, as well as establishing a multifunctional training suite for the delivery of SQA accredited qualifications and supporting local businesses with wellbeing in the workplace. The works focus on sustainability and will add renewable energy to the building. The award will support the renewable energy element of the project.
Successful Applications 2021/2022
This project upgraded flooring, Wi-Fi, fire doors, and refreshed the café area in the building which is currently in community ownership. The facility is used as a hub for local business, community groups, council services, NHS use, and a public café.
The ECOHOUSE is a state-of-the-art training facility at West Lothian College that supports the development of skills, knowledge and practical experience in sustainable construction as well as efficient and effective renewable energies all underpinned by current and new technologies. The ECOHOUSE is unique in Scotland. It is the first development to have two buildings - one completed to Platinum Building standards with certified air tightness and thermal properties, the other a shell house for developing the high-level practical skills in a real-life working environment required to achieve Platinum Building standards.
The West Calder Hub customer improvements project aimed to renovate and improve the existing hub facility at West Calder Community Centre. This included renovating the kitchen and café facilities, outdoor five-a-side football pitch and groundworks around the hub.
The Crofthead Community Regeneration Project had three elements which included external landscaping around the facility, extending and redesigning the existing cycle track and the design and project development, including technical works, of a new multi-purpose hall and other options for future developments at the existing site.
